Login

Known Locations and Status Updates

Known Locations and Status Updates

Select an invasive species from the list on the right to see the locations of known Orange County occurrences, as well as status updates from the chapter. Please do not report known Orange County occurrences. All new or other occurrences should be reported to using the instructions at Reporting an Invasive Plant.

Status updates include new occurrences, management activities, updates about the population, successes and failures and other news regarding each invasive species. The most recent news appears at the beginning of each report. If you have updates or corrections, please report them for inclusion to .

2016-10-03: Starr Ranch reported to OC CNPS that no additional plants were located in the 2016 season.

2015-05-08: A small population (less than 50) was located over about 8 square meters in a grassland area and removed at Audubon Starr Ranch Sanctuary by Jordan Isken. Surrounding areas have been repeatedly surveyed with no additional plants as yet.

Centaurea solstitialis

0.4 mile due south of 91 Fwy. along Big Mo Canyon Trail, Chino Hills State Park. (under some management by CA State Parks, with assistance from OC-CNPS)

Gypsum Canyon: (a) along the southbound 241, extending north from the (old) toll station; (b) scattered along and off Gypsum Canyon road, extending approx. (OC Parks portion is under management by Irvine Ranch Conservancy)

San Juan Canyon. approx. 4.5 acres gross area. Nine known colonies exist and all are being managed by OC CNPS volunteers:

Along SR 74, 2.8 miles east of San Juan Guard Station (under management by OC CNPS volunteers

Along SR 74, 1 mile west of (closed) Lower San Juan Picnic Area (under management by OC-CNPS volunteers)

2016-08-04: 13 (7 in a new subcolony) were removed by OC CNPS at three locations along SR 74 North of the Bear Canyon trailhead. Plants were flowering and fruiting.

2016-07-03: 44 additional plants were removed from two of the SR 74 colonies by OC CNPS.

2016-06-23: Only 123 plants were removed in a hand pull from the Silverado Canyon colony during an OC-CNPS organized weed-pull. With the cooperation and permission of The Cleveland National Forest, the area was searched carefully and all found plants were manually pulled, bagged and removed. The plants were in full flower and close to, but not yet, releasing viable seed. This is a major reduction from the 2,056 plants removed during the same location in 2015.

2016-06-15: All eight known colonies (one new colony found today) along SR 74 were managed by OC CNPS committee. A total of 1,624 plants were removed. Comments were added and polygons edited as needed to Calflora.

2016-05-19: 227 plants removed in a hand pull from one of the SR 74 colonies by the OC CNPS committee.

2016-03-30: The Coal Canyon population was managed by CA State Parks staff. Additional plants were removed.

2016-03-13: The Coal Canyon population was checked by OC CNPS and found to be expanding and larger than initially reported in 2014. 267 plants were removed, a few with buds and flowers (but no viable seed). Additional management will be needed in the next few weeks. The polygon map was updated and comunication with State Parks staff is ongoing.

2015-07-30: The remaining plants along SR 74, on the private property (Ortega Oaks Campground) near Bear Canyon trailhead were removed by an OC-CNPS committee member, with permission of the property manager. The area of the infestation was scraped by machinery in the last few days and most plants had already been removed. About 30 more, in full bloom and with viable seed, were pulled and disposed.

2015-07-23: New sub colony discovered by a OC-CNPS committee member along SR 74, nr. the Bear Canyon trailhead. 724 plants removed and disposed, all except for a group on private property in a mobile home area adjacent to and East of the roadway. Colony was mapped and posted to Calflora.

2015-07-13: Tom Hummel, a Resources Field Lead for CA State Parks scouted the area of Coal Canyon. He and a field crew pulled 10 bags from the site. They will return in a couple of weeks to re-check the site and expand their search for any outliers or another population yet to be found. This colony was discovered by a OC-CNPS committee member in 2014 and reported to State Parks, who performed the removal.

2015-07-09: 2,056 plants were removed from the Silverado Canyon colony during an OC-CNPS organized weed-pull. With the cooperation and permission of The Cleveland National Forest, the area was searched carefully and all found plants were manually pulled, double bagged and removed. The plants were in full flower and close to, but not yet, releasing viable seed.

2015-07-04: 41 additional plants were removed by a OC-CNPS volunteer from the colony at SR 74 at Long Canyon Road.

2015-07-04: 136 plants (all that were found) were removed, bagged and disposed of by a OC-CNPS volunteer from two adjacent colonies on Hwy 74, 2.7 to 3.1 miles east of Hot Springs Cyn. Rd. The site is clean of plants for this season.

2015-06-21: 640 additional plants (the balance of the colony) were removed by a OC-CNPS volunteer from the colony along SR 74, .6 miles North of The Candy Store. No viable seed present, so pulled plants were left on site. The site is clean of plants for this season.

2015-06-14: 420 plants were removed by a OC-CNPS volunteer from the colony at SR 74 at Long Canyon Road. Plants were at beginning of flower, with no viable seed present. The site is clean of plants for this season. Last year over 1,200 plants were removed by OC-CNPS at the same site. Management has been underway by OC-CNPS at this site since 2012.

2015-06-14: 480 plants were removed from a colony along SR 74, .6 miles North of The Candy Store. No viable seed present, so pulled plants were left on site. More plants are present at this site.

2016-12-01: The small population off Nyes Place was re-examined by OC CNPS and is confirmed as subspecies rotundata, a new taxa for North America and Orange County.

2016-10-08: Botanist Rick Riefner reported a new colony along Pacific Coast Highway, just SE of Morning Canyon Road in Newport Beach. OC CNPS checked on the report and discovered a well establish population, including plants of varying ages with flowers and abundant fruit. Plants are spreading in lightly maintained landscape. The colony was mapped and posted to Calflora and marks a range extension of 8.5 miles from colonies in South Laguna.

2016-05-19: A single mature plant in full fruit was located by OCCNPS in the common area of Aliso Circle, in the residential neighborhood adjacent to the colony in Aliso Canyon. Three homeowners in the area were engaged in a conversation about the plants and its environmental concern. The homeowners were sympathetic to the problem but it was uncertain whether the plants would be removed.

2015-11-22: A second occurence was located .7 miles north of the Aliso colony in Alexander Canyon. These plants were clearly planted and are in a lightly maintained landscape directly on the edge of the urban-wildland interface. The colony is estimated at 30 square meters. These plants appear slightly different than those in Aliso Canyon and may be ssp. rotundata instead of ssp. monilifera, which is the taxa in Aliso Canyon

If it is ssp. rotundata, it might not be as invasive as the Aliso Canyon plants. We estimate these plants have been in the ground for about ten years here, but we could not find any seedling in the adjacent natural areas..

2015-03-25: With the urging of OC CNPS, CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture gave this species a California Pest Rating - Pest Rating A status. This is the highest rating available for a pest plant. The complete listing can be viewed here.

2016-09-15:OC CNPS members met with the Laguna Canyon Foundation restoration manager in Laguna Canyon at the site of a large colony to offer advice on management. LCF has received a grant for invasive removal and restoration in the area.

2016-07-07:A new colony was discovered and plotted to Calflora by OC CNPS at the E end of Canyon Acres Drive in Laguna Beach.

2016-06-15: The Laguna Canyon colony was re-checked by OC CNPS and additional adjustments to the mapping was made and posted to Calflora. This is a well developed and significant infestation.

2015-12-25: A large colony at the Big Bend area of Laguna Canyon was mapped and plotted onto Calflora by the OC CNPS invasive plant committee.

2015-12-17: A new colony was discovered by an OC CNPS invasive plant committee member near the mouth of Aliso Canyon, .2 mi. E of Hwy. 1, in South Laguna Beach. The colony was immediately mapped and plotted to Calflora.

2015-10-08: An OC CNPS committee member discovers a well established colony near the mouth of San Mateo Creek, just beyond the OC line. The colony is estimated at nearly 4,000 gross square meters. It is plotted and added to the Calflora and CalWeedMapper databases.

2015-08-09: An Emergent Invasives committee member mapped the colony along Laguna Canyon Road, just south of El Toro Road. The colony is very well established and now travels about .5 miles South, covering a gross area of approximately 2.6 acres. Data has been posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper.

2016-09-25: 10 additional small vegetative plants were removed and disposed of by the OC CNPS Emergent committee at the Arroyo Trabuco colony.

2016-08-21: 870 Plants were removed and disposed of by the OC CNPS Emergent committee at the Arroyo Trabuco colony. Plants were vegetative only, with no flower or seed yet. Although it is disapointing to find this quantity of plants after two years of agressive management, it is not surprising, since the seedbank on this species can be several years.

2015-11-26: A third Orange County colony containing about five plants was discovered at the Southern end of the Least Tern breeding area at Huntington State Beach, near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. The discovery was made by CA State Parks Environmental Services Intern, Ryan Myers. The infestation was removed and bagged and has been posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper databases.

2015-10-25: A second Orange County colony was discovered by OC CNPS along Ortega Hwy, just East of Hot Springs Canyon. Plants were mature, in full bloom and beginning to disperse seed. The roadside was surveyed for additional plants in both directions with none found. 101 plants were removed and disposed. The colony was mapped posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper databases and also communicated to USFS biologists with a request for on-going management.

2015-10-21: A single plant was found along the first creek crossing in Bell Canyon. It was removed and given a sanitary disposal. After a thorough survey of the surrounding area no additional plants were found. The staff was trained on identification of the species and the area will be monitored.

2015-10-07: CA State Parks, with assistance from a Calfire team and OC CNPS invested 20 man-hours of combined treatment and hand pulling at the San Onofre colony. 20 bags of Dittrichia were removed from the colony over approximately one mile of roadway.

2015-10-03: OCCNPS surveyed and mapped the colony at San Onofre in anticipation of management of the plants by CA State Parks. The colony spreads across approximately one mile of roadway, covering a gross area of approximately 1900 square meters.

2015-09-19: 9 volunteers, led by Henry DiRocco, performed a "pull" at the Arroyo Trabuco infestation area. All outlying areas were also checked with no new spread found. Very few plants were missed by the initial treatment on 8-18. However, many new seedlings were present, probably flushed up by recent summer rains. Pulled were a significant number of young seedlings (1-4") within the previously plotted areas, with no outliers. No plants had any signs of flower production yet. One or two follow-up ground checks and hand removals will be made by OC CNPS volunteers in the next two months.

2015-08-30: Plantsat the Arroyo Trabuco were field checked by a OC-CNPS committee member. The vast majority of the plants were dead from the 8-12-15 treatment. Found, pulled and disposed of 59 mostly small, live plants.

2015-08-12: Plants at the Arroyo Trabuco were treated for a second year. 919 plants were treated by OC Parks, in collaboration with OC-CNPS. A follow-up hand pull is scheduled for Sept. 19 to harvest any remaining plants.

2015-07-16: A ground check by OC-CNPS revealed this season's plants in the Arroyo Trabuco are abundant and actively growing, averaging 6-10" high, with a few to 24". Vegetative only, no bud or bloom. Adjacent areas surveyed, but no additional plants.

2014-11-30: 20 doughty weed-fighters tackled the Arroyo Trabuco infestation. The removed Stinkwort filled 10 large trash bags, which were taken to the landfill under special-handling protocols. The weed-fighting group included OC-CNPS members and IRC and OC Parks volunteers and staff. OC-CNPS will continue to monitor this site for several years.

2014, early-mid Nov.: Chapter members mapped the Arroyo Trabuco infestation and communicated its significance to OC Parks and Irvine Ranch Conservancy staffs (who partner in much of OC wildlands management). The plants had begun to disperse seed, so there was an urgency to remove the infestation before it could expand further. Chapter members immediately began working with OC Parks and IRC staffs to obtain the necessary permits for volunteers to work on OC Park lands and to schedule staff support. Once these arrangements were made, OC-CNPS, IRC and OC Parks put out word of the Stinkwort Pull.

2014, mid-Oct: OC-CNPS member and native-plant expert Bob Allen discovered OC’s first known population of Dittrichia graveolens in Arroyo Trabuco, along the southerly border of O’Neill Regional Park and the adjacent Ladera Ranch Open Space.

2011, 10-26: A first detection of the species in Orange County by OC-CNPS in Arroyo Trabuco, along the southerly border of O’Neill Regional Park, about .5 mi. NE of Crown Valley Parkway. However, the plants were not identified and remained so until 1-2017 when the photographs were reviewed.

2016-12-29: OC CNPS visited the Emerald Canyon colony and mapped at least a portion of it. This colony has been under management by The Orange County Natural Communities Coalition (formerly NROC) since 1999.

2017-05-18: A detection in Laguna Canyon was reported through this Emergent Invasive Program. It was quickly field checked, roughly mapped and can be seen on Calflora (HERE). This is a significant infestation of a highly problematic plant. Land managers, conservation organizations and others are currently in communication about next steps. A detailed Fact Sheet about this colony can be seen HERE.

2015-05-28: The Dana Point colony was checked by an OC-CNPS volunteer and no Hypericum could be located. Only a single plant was located in 2012 by the same volunteer. This site has been under management for several years now and the colony has likely been eradicated.

2015-03-05: Communicated details of the San Juan Capistrano infestation to Dean Kelch, Primary Botanist with the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture.

2015-03-01: The San Juan Capistrano site was inspected by OC-CNPS volunteers and the southern boundary was more thoroughly mapped and delineated. The online CalFlora polygon defining the colony was updated.

2016-07-10: A single seeding plant was located and removed by OC CNPS along the Santa Ana River Bike Trail, 1 mile E of Gypsum Canyon Road. Area searched, but no others located. Record posted to Calflora.

2016-05-19: Plants at the Niguel Hill colony were checked by OC CNPS, with adjustments to the polygon posted to Cal-flora. This colony is almost certainly the result of a hydroseed application in urban edge landscaping.

2016-05-30:A colony in the vicinity of Alton Parkway at Hwy. 241 was located and mapped by James Bailey.

2016-04-26:A small population of additional plants was located in the upper regions of Agua Chinon Wash, in the Lomas de Santiago, by IRC staff and were removed. The population was plotted to Calflora.

2015-03-29:A significant colony, in the vicinity of the Agua Chinon Wash was was mapped and plotted by OC CNPS at 287 acres gross.

2016-11-17:The Santa Ana colony is again field checked by OC CNPS. One flowering plant is discovered, bagged and removed. Numerous, young seedling are observed, germinated from recent rains, but with no reproductive capacity. Monitoring will continue by OC CNPS.

2016-11-09:TheSan Diego Creek channel, between Culver and Michelson, is again surveyed by OC CNPS. One additional plant is located, 250 meters from the first detection. It is plotted, baged and removed.

2016-09-01:The single plant in the in the San Diego Creek channel is field checked by OC CNPS, confirmed, bagged and disposed. Surrounding areas are surveyed, with no additional detections.

2016-08-28:The Santa Ana colony is reported to CDFA and The Orange County Agricultural Commissioners office. The species is awarded a Pest Rating of "A" by CDFA. Shortly therafter, the Orange County Agricultural Commissioners office, contacts the property owner and begins aggressive managment of the plants and propagules.

2016-08-28:The Santa Ana colony is visited by OC CNPS and many plants are seen, growing, flowering and seeding abundantly. The surrounding vicinity is surveyed for additional plants.

2016-08-26:A single plant flowering and seeding plant is discovered by OC CNPS member Barbara Boethling in the San Diego Creek channel, between Culver and Michelson, Irvine.

2015-04-22:A collection of this species is made by Jan West and voucher samples are deposited at the UC Riverside and CA Academy of Sciences herbariums, from the Santa Ana location. This is the first documentation of this species in California. OC CNPS does not know who Jan West is and cannot find any additional information about this collection.

2016-08-14: A large, well-established colony was discovered by OC CNPS along El Horno Creek, just West of Rancho Viejo Road in San Juan Capistrano. The colony was mapped and posted to Calflora.

2015-07-16: OC-CNPS committee member mapped the small colony in Laguna Hills. The infestation may have originated from a plant along the fence line of an adjacent community garden. Now sprawling and rambling into the reservoir area where it is among many other invasives, esp. Cortaderia. The colony was posted to Calflora.

2016-11-10: The expanding colony along Pacific Island Drive in Laguna Niguel was plotted relatively accurately and posted to Calflora by OC CNPS.

2016-09-25: The Salt Creek drainage was surveyed by OC CNPS from Niguel Road to Chapparosa Park, Laguna Niguel. This is just East of the known populations. A small infestation was noted and mapped just to the East side of Niguel Road.

2016-09-18: OC CNPS did more mapping of the infestation along Salt Creek, from PCH to Camino del Avion. An additional colony was located .65 miles to the East, near Bear Brand Park. All were plotted to Calflora.

2016-07-16: An additional sub-colony of the Salt Creek population was reported at the Monarch Beach Golf Links by Joan Miller. It was plotted to Calflora.

2016-06-18: The San Joaquin Reservoir colony was visited by OC CNPS, accurately mapped and posted to Calflora. The colony has spread somewhat from its footprint in 2014.

2016-05-19: Plants at the Salt Creek colony were checked by OC CNPS and continue unabated.

2016-05-11: The San Joaquin Reservoir colony was visited by OC CNPS, plant samples were collected and pressed.

2017-01-16: OC Parks began management of the new population adjacent to Irvine Blvd.

2017-01-08: A survey by OC CNPS revealed a new large colony, with many dense patches, on the Upper Newport Bay mesas adjacent to Irvine Blvd. The population appears to number in the thousands. The colony was mapped and posted to Calflora. Several interested parties, including OC Parks, Cal-IPC and others were notified, with management decisions pending.

2017-01-07: A field check to the Big Canyon colony by OC CNPS revealed plants well past germination and now at a vegetative rosette stage, averaging 6-8 in diameter, with some larger. No bolting yet, but probably soon. Consistent rains have assisted a heavy germination.

2016-12-03: The grant mentioned in the 2016-09-24 note was fully funded and will support eradication efforts of this weed species. OC CNPS is participating in this effort and is a member of the Volutaria Working Group.

2016-10-14: During research on a related species OC CNPS discovered possible records dating to 2003, and maybe as early as 1987. A photograph and comments of "Centaurea muricata" by Robert DeRuff (deceased) is made in The Vascular Plants of Upper Newport Bay. A voucher specimen of the same record was deposited at the UC Riverside herbarium, also under the name Centaurea muricata. We now believe these records may refer to Volutaria tubuliflora. In the records Mr, DeRuff mentions both Big Canyon and the bluffs not far from the Muth Center, both locations of our 2015 and 2016 records.

If the specimen at UCR is confirmed as V. tubuliflora this would move the date of California introduction forward by at least several years and would also change the introduction point from Boreggo Springs to Newport Beach.

2016-09-24: OC CNPS is participating in a working group supporting a grant proposal aimed at the eradication of this species in Southern California. This two year grant would address all known sites (Anza-Borrego, Upper Newport Bay and Chula Vista). The grant proposal is submitted by Cal-IPC, and includes OC stakeholders OC CNPS and The Irvine Ranch Conservancy, and potentially The City of Newport Beach, OC Parks, CDFW and The Newport Bay Conservancy.

2016-01-29: Dr. Peter Bryant discovered a few plants growing to the west of the Muth Center, SW of the intersection of Irvine Avenue and University Drive. The identification was confirmed by Riley Pratt and the site was visited briefly by OC CNPS. No additional plants in this area have been located.

2016-01-08: Riley Pratt, the project manager for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy handling the Big Canyon infestation, discovered about 500 additional plants in a new area of the canyon. They were dry skeletons from last year's population.

2015-10-16: Germination has begun in the Big Canyon area, spurred perhaps by unusual late summer showers. Plants are being monitored and removal will be ongoing.

2015-05: A general plant survey of the entire Big Canyon area was conducted by Fred Roberts, also a OC-CNPS Rare Plant Specialist. Riley Pratt, the IRC Project Manager indicated that Fred noted no additional Volutaria, although this is quite late in the season.

2015-04-13: Approximately 300 more plants in two or three small colonies were discovered, removed and bagged today at Big Canyon by The Irvine Ranch Conservancy. This brings the total removed plants for 2015 to about 3,600. Another survey of the entire Big Canyon area by an independent botanist contractor, and CNPS member, will be conducted on Thursday.

2015-04-10: Most Big Canyon plants have been removed by The Irvine Ranch Conservancy. Total of 3,324 plants were removed and bagged. About 3,000 were in the main population, but a few more scattered stands were along the North bluff. The surrounding area (5+ acres) was surveyed for additional plants.

2015-04-10: The Daily Pilot Newspaper (L.A. Times local edition for Newport Beach/Costa Mesa, etc.) publishes a feature story on the plant in Big Canyon and the OC-CNPS invasive plant effort.

2015-04-09: The Irvine Ranch Conservancy completes the removal effort for this season at Big Canyon. Approximately 1,100 plants are removed.

2015-04-08: The Irvine Ranch Conservancy begins removal of plants from the Big Canyon site. Approximately 600 plants are removed today, with the balance, estimated at another 500 plants slated for removal tomorrow.

2015-04-08: Fresh voucher samples from the Big Canyon infestation are taken by an Emergent Invasive Committee member and mailed to the CDFA state botanist in Sacramento

2015-04-06: Prompted by this discovery and the work of OC-CNPS, the CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture lists the species as a state Noxious Weed List 4500 and given an A rating. A-rated pests are subject to state or county enforced action involving eradication, quarantine, containment, ejection or other actions.

2015-04-03: From the mapping, the colony at Big Canyon is determined to be within City of Newport Beach property and managed by The Irvine Ranch Conservancy, who agrees to take the lead on management activities.

2015-04-02: The Big Canyonarea is surveyed more thoroughly by a committee member and the colony is plotted as a polygon on Calflora. A much larger infestation is found, over an area of about 0.5 acre and comprising an estimated 500-1,000 plants. Notification is sent by the committee to assorted stakeholders and interested parties, including US Fish & Wildlife, CA Dept. Of Fish and Wildlife, OC Parks, The Irvine Ranch Conservancy, The City of Newport Beach and The Newport Bay Conservancy. Details are also communicated to The California Native Plant Council, CDFA and other SoCal botanists

2015-04-01: Images from the Big Canyon infestation are forwarded to the OC-CNPS Emergent Invasive Plant Committee. From the images, the plant is identified by the OC-CNPS committee as Volutaria tubuliflora. The site is visited in the early evening by a committee member and the identification is confirmed. 23 plants are located in a small colony of only 5-6 square meters. A voucher sample is taken.

2015-03-31: OC-CNPS member Barbara Boethling discovers a few plants of an unknown Centaurea-like plant at Big Canyon, in Upper Newport Bay. She shows images to fellow member Diane Etchison.

FORMER EMERGENT SPECIES

These species have been removed from the program. They are no longer considered Emergent. For additional information, visit the Former Emergent Species page.

2016-09-17: An additional colony was discovered at Mason Regional Park by OC CNPS. Mapped to Calflora.

2016-08-25: Several plants discovered by OCCNPS and mapped to Calflora in a commercial citrus grove along the Santa Ana River East of Gypsum Canyon Road in Yorba Linda.

2016-08-09: Plants were discovered at Huntington Central Park and posted to Calflora by OC CNPS member and volunteer Barbara Boethling.

2016-05-08: Two large plants were located by OC Parks Ranger Anthony Gionet-Gonzales at Mason Regional Park in Irvine. They were reported to OC CNPS, mapped and will be removed. Each plant covered an area of 80-100 square feet.

2016-05-04: A small colony was discovered by the OC CNPS Mergent committee adjacent to San Diego Creek at Jamboree Rd. The colony was posted to Calflora and reported to Upper Newport Bay biologists.

2015-05-03: A few plants are reported by Maureen Tiritilli from a residential area in Santa Ana. The plants are removed.

2016-03-16: The El Modeno Hills population was treated again under the direction and coordination of OC Parks and OCCNPS.

2016-03-03: The population along South Main Divide Road was treated during routine roadside vegetation control. The vegetative growth is dessicated, but control is doubtful.

2016-02-18: A single plant was found and removed by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy in Silverado Creek just East of Black Star Cyn.

2015-11-07: A small colony along Newport Coast Drive in Newport Beach that had been observed for a couple of years was mapped and posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper by OC CNPS. The colony is 141 square meters gross.

2016-12-29: A new colony was detected, mapped and posted by OC CNPS along Big Bend Trail, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

2016-12-25: A small colony was noted by OC CNPS along Laguna Canyon Rd. on the East side about 300 meters N of the Forest Ave. intersection. It was roughly mapped and plotted to Calflora.

2016-12-04: A field check of the Badlands Park colony by OC CNPS revealed germination well under way.

2016-04-07: Additional plants were plotted and posted by OC CNPS at the Borrego Washcolony, expanding the size of the infestation. Plants now in full seed.

2016-02-18: A modest-sized colony discovered, plotted and posted by OC CNPS along the far Eastern perimeter of the OC Great Park, near Borrego Wash. Plants were mostly vegetative.

2016-02-16: A small colony was discovered by The Irvine Ranch Conservancy near the mouth of Fremont Canyon, W of Irvine Lake. About 100 plants were removed, but the area will need additional management.

2016-02-13: A new colony was discovered by OC CNPS along MacArthur Blvd., just N of San Joaquin Hills Road in Newport Beach. 196 plants in flower and fruit were removed by OC CNPS. The site was mapped and posted to Calflora.

2016-02-11: Diane Etchison discovered two plants on the Starr Rise Trail at Casper's Wilderness Park. The record was reported to OC Parks Ranger, who will remove them. The plants were photographed and posted to Calflora.

2016-02-11: About 10 trash bags were removed today from the Laguna Canyon Road colony South of the Nix Nature Center. Joan Miller, an outstanding OC Parks volunteer, led the pull. The colony was also mapped today by OC CNPS and posted to Calflora.

2016-02-04: Small population discovered by OC CNPS David Pryor along PCH at Bolsa Chica EcologicalPreserve. All plants removed. An additional plant in full fruit was noted by Jim Pike in the same vicinity on 2016-03-07.

2016-01-30: Joan Miller reports that work has been going on to remove mustard at Badlands Park; not sure by who. Joan pulled a couple of mature plants further down the trail. The growth this season appears to be on the upper slope, above the native vegetation on the hillside. Plants and fruits were left on site, so Joan bagged and disposed of them.

2016-01-18: A new infestation was reported by Kathleen Balazs of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy near Laguna Canyon Road, N of the Nix Nature Center. 69 plants were removed four days later, ranging from seedlings to full flower.

2016-01-18: An infestation was reported by Joan Miller of plants during the Spring of 2015 at Badlands Park trail in Laguna Niguel. Per Joan: "Plants at a number of spots along the ridge path going north from the entrance, and it was beginning to creep down some steep slopes of beautiful coastal sage scrub facing the ocean. I bagged what I could, but it had already largely seeded by the time I found it."

2015-12-10: 166 young vegetative plants were removed from the Park Avenue colony by OCCNPS. Many more remain.

2015-11-05: The Mission Viejo colony is field checked by OC CNPS and additional plants are located about 100 meters from the original April location. Germination has just begun and approx. 100 plants are counted.

2015-11-05: The Ladera Ranch Ranch colony is field checked by OC CNPS and germination has begun. 49 small plants, mostly under 10 cm in diameter, are removed.

2015-04-10: A small colony is located by an OC-CNPS committee member near Olympiad Rd. and Jeronimo Road in Mission Viejo. The plants have already seeded and dispersed, but the colony has been posted to Calflora and we will return to the site in the upcoming season to assess the situation.

2015-03-30: OC Parks staff pulled additional plants in the Boat Canyon trail area today. Because of the late date and the seeding of the remaining plants, control activities are likely complete for this season. Thank you to Laura Cohen, Resource Specialist for Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, and Hallie Jones, Executive Director of the Laguna Canyon Foundation, for all their excellent work at controlling the populations in the Laguna Beach area.

2015-03-20: The Park Avenue colony was ground-checked by OC-CNPS and the Sahara mustard control is complete for this year.

2015-03-19: Volunteers from The Laguna Canyon Foundation pulled most of the remaining plants from the colony along Park Avenue in Laguna Beach, as well as many Black Mustard. Hallie Jones, Executive Director of the foundation, led the pull. Thank you Hallie and Laguna Canyon Foundation! Tomorrow, a volunteer from The Laguna Canyon Foundation will continue pulling plants at the Boat Canyon location in Laguna Beach.

2015-03-18: About 2,500 plants of all sizes have been pulled over the past three days at the Park Avenue site in Laguna Beach, beginning at the South end of the infestation, by an OC-CNPS volunteer. This pull so far is estimated at about 50% of the plants.

2015-03-16: A small stand of about five plants was discovered today by OC-CNPS member Diane Etchison at the Richard and Donna O'Neill Land Conservancy. The Conservancy (managed by The Rancho Mission Viejo Company) is accessed through a private gate a few miles east of San Juan Capistrano on Hwy 74. Rancho Mission Viejo has been notified of the occurence. Still a long way to go. The plants are now seeding rather aggressively.

2015-03-16: Through a combined effort of OC Parks, The Laguna Canyon Foundation and with assistance from OC-CNPS, the Boat Canyon population had a pull today. Laura Cohen, Resource Specialist at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, and Mathew Sutton and Joan Miller, from the Laguna Canyon Foundation, conducted the pull over a four hour period. The plants were under the shrubs, back as far as 20 - 30 feet. They did not finish the job (it was a hot day) and the site will require continued stewardship.

2015-03-11: OC-CNPS visited the Ladera Ranch site. The surrounding area was moderately checked for additional plants; none were found. The population was relatively small and contained to about 100 square meters, which was mapped. Plants were in full fruit and already dispersing seed abundantly. All plants were pulled (293 of them), bagged and removed. The site will need additional management for at least the next several years until the colony can be considered eradicated. Much thanks to Vanessa Santos for identifying and reporting this colony immediately and for her quick removal effort.

2015-03-10: OC-CNPS did a site check and confirmed the Park Avenue report as Brassica tournefortii. The population was quickly mapped and has been posted to CalFlora.

2015-03-10: Identifying photographs were taken by Vanessa Santos of the Ladera Ranch population and confirmed as Sahara Mustard. A site visit to remove any additional plants and seed and to map the boundary of the population is pending in the next few days. Good job to Vanessa. This is the type of citizen action that can make a difference.

2015-03-09: Dave Wilson reported two new infestations in the Laguna Beach area. One is of 100+ plants along Park Avenue east of Wendt Terrace. The other is along Boat Trail in North Laguna from about 0.5 miles above the Dartmoor trailhead to 1.3 miles. On March 8 while hiking Dave bagged out and disposed of approximately 200 plants from this stretch. In the center there are another 200 smaller plants that are maturing rapidly along the road berm plus isolated individuals along the entire stretch. Both of these reported infestations will be field checked in the near future. BIG thank you to Dave Wilson, who is a volunteer docent with The Irvine Ranch Conservancy and has intimate knowledge of Sahara mustard and has led "weed pulls" for the plant over the past couple of weeks. A great example of volunteerism at its finest.

2015-03-08: A report of Sahara mustard was received today from Vanessa Santos in the Ladera Ranch area. The site is along the first 30-40 feet of the trail on the SE corner of O'Neill Road and Cecil Ranch Road. Vanessa pulled and properly disposed of all that she found. Confirming photographs or a ground check is pending. This would be a new occurrence in Orange County.

2015-03-08: A ground survey by an OC-CNPS volunteer revealed a large infestation in Coal Canyon and along the Santa Ana River Bike Trail, east of Coal Canyon. Occurrences were mapped on Calflora and CalWeedMapper.

2016-04-24: A new colony was detected and reported by OC CNPS member Joan Hampton along a portion of the Lake View Loop Trail of Peter's Canyon Regional Park. The colony was reported to OC Parks for management. Mapping of the colony, posting to Calflora and additional surveying in the surrounding area is pending.

2016-02-17: Plants were identified at Upper Newport Bayby Newport Bay Conservancy and OC Parks personell, W of the San Diego Creek entrance. OC CNPS assisted with identification. Since they were still vegetative and easily confused with other species the decision was to delay management until flowering stalks were present.

2015-12-17: A very large and well established colony was discovered by a OC CNPS invasive committee member at Temple Hill (aka Top of the World) in Laguna Beach. The colony, covering a gross area of approximately 5 acres was immediately mapped and posted to Calflora.

2015-03-10: A small but spreading population was removed prior to seed dispersal at the Newport Beach City Hall Nature Park by an OC-CNPS volunteer. OC-CNPS will continue to monitor the infestation.

2015-11-05: Colonies are located by OC CNPS on Oso Creek, near Crown Valley Parkway. On the same date OC CNPS also discovered a small colony in Ladera Ranch near the intersection of Cecil Ranch Road and O'Neill Road.

2015-10-04: A large colony was discovered by OCCNPS at the mouth of San Juan Creek. The colony covers a gross area of approximately 800 sq. meters and was plotted and posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper.

2015-05-31: An OC-CNPS Invasive Plant Committee member locates plants along the Santa Ana River at Horseshoe Bend in Yorba Linda (about .75 mi. NE of Yorba Linda Blvd.). The colony is posted to Calflora and CalWeedMapper.

2015-04-08: Bill Neill, OC-CNPS volunteer, suggests that hay bales--imported from northern CA--at the stables south of Shipley Nature Center may be a source of Broad-Leaved Pepperweed infestation.

2015-13-18: A new population was discovered by a OC-CNPS volunteer and plotted on Calflora at the San Diego Creek Channel, near the Jamboree bridge.

2015-05-28: Plants at the Upper Newport Bay site do not appear to have been re-reported in several years. This small occurrence may have been eradicated. If so, the species is now extirpated from Orange County.

2016-11-06:A colony discovered by OC CNPS near intersection of Diamond Canyon and Diamond Street, Laguna Beach. Probably from a planting. Mapped and plotted.

2016-09-11: A small colony was located in Laguna Canyon, near Phillips Road. Mapped and reported to The Laguna Canyon Foundation, which is performing invasive removal and restoration in the area.

2016-08-21: A single large tree and a few young seedlings was discovered by OC CNPS near Veeh Reservoir in Laguna Hills. Plotted to Calflora.

2016-08-14: A large, well-established colony was discovered by OC CNPS along El Horno Creek, adjacent to Marbella Golf Course in San Juan Capistrano. The colony was mapped and posted to Calflora. This appears to be the largest known colony in Orange County.

2015-07-07: A new population was discovered and mapped to Calflora at the E end of Canyon Acres rive, Laguna Beach by OC-CNPS.

2015-03-19: A new small population was discovered by an OC-CNPS volunteer and plotted on Calflora in Silverado Canyon, east of the Silverado Cafe.

2015-05-10: A very small population near South Main Divide Road at SR 74 was removed by OC-CNPS.

2016-04-17: A small colony at Crystal Cove State Park that was reported by OC CNPS and treated by park staff in 2013, has reappeared. A check of the site by a OC CNPS committee member revealed that plants have returned at an area near the day parking area at the El Moro entrance. The information was communicated to state parks Rangers and biologists for treatment.

2015-10-12: A single colonial clump was located by OC CNPS along the roadside in Hot Springs Canyon. The plants were removed, but some rhizomes were unable to be excavated. The location will be monitored in future years.

Newsletters

Our newsletter is published six times a year and is the best source of information about current activities. The newsletter also contains useful and fun articles.